Locking device



Aug. 9, 1932. .A. F KIPPER ET AL LOCKING DEVICE Filed Dec. 20, 1950 4 fro/ewe x Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITE,

ALLEN r. KIPPER AND REUEL H.',THAYER,Y or" Los; ANGELEs. oanrronnm LOOKING rmvrcn Application filed December 20, 1930. Serial no. 503,685.

Our invention relates to a locking device and more particularly to a locking device for tagging 0r sealing articles in such a'manner that'the tag or seal cannotbe removed without its destruction.

Because of the wide range in the dimensions of articles which it is desired to seal together or tag, it is sometimes desirable that the loop means for encircling the articles to be sealed or tagged be separate from the looking means and the tag in order that the stock of parts for the sealing or tagging device for a variety of articles may be a minimum.

It is a corresponding object of our invention to provide a sealing or tagging device which includes a locking means of such character that the loop means for encirclingthe articles to be sealed or tagged may be ass-embled with the locking means after the loop means has been passed around the said'article.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a locking or sealing device which includes locking means which is secured to the tag by the passage of the loop means therethrough.

It is still another object of ourinvention to provide a tagging or sealing device which includes a locking means so related to the loop means encircling an article that the locking means cannot be manipulated to release the loop means without the destruction of the device.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a device of the character described which can be very economically manufactured.

One embodiment of our invention which is capable of performing the foregoing ob j ects, and others, some of which will be made evident hereinafter, will be disclosed in the following specification. This description maybe better understood with reference to the accompanying drawing in which, i

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of an embodiment of our invention attached to an article;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken" as indi- ,cated by theline 33 of Fig. 2. l

' Fig. 4 is a plan view partially sectioned, taken as indicated by, the line 44 of Fig. 2. Referringtothe drawing which is for illustrative purposes only, the numeral 11 in- 12 adapted for encircling an article such as a golf club 13, and being extended through a locking means 14 associated with a tag 15. Q.

vided with an opening 16 adjacent one end. That end of the opening 16'whioh is closer to the end of the tag 15 is'provided with an enlarged portion 17 for a purpose which will be dicates a sealing or tagging device embodying 5 our'invention which includes a loop means 'As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the tag 15 is prosubstantially elliptical in' cross-section, as

reference to this figure, the locking means illustrated in Fig. 2. As may be seen with :4

14 is provided. with a groove 18 in each of its sides; the grooves 18 being formed by bending inwardly the sides of the locking means 14.- An inwardly extending fin '19 is provided by the groove 18 along the inner surface of each of the sides of the locking means 14. The groove 18 and the fin 19 of each of the sides of thelocking means 14 extend from one end of the locking means14 to a plane normal to the axis of the locking means and adjacent the other endof the locking means 14. The remainder of each side of the locking means 14 defines a regular ellipse, as indicated by the dotted lines 1911 i of Fig. 2, so that the end of each of the fins l9'provides in the lockin g means 14, ashoulder or stop 20, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

i As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the length of the locking means 14 is substantially equal to the lengt-h of the opening16 in the tag 15 so that the locking means 14 may be positioned in the opening 16 with the major axis of the ellipse of its cross-section normalto the plane of the tag 15. VVhen'installed in this position those portions of the tag 15 which define the sides of the opening 16 are received in the groove 18 so that the locking means 14 is-temporarily held in place relative to the tag 15. enlargedportion 17 of the open-v ing 16 is provided for the reception of those port-ions of the sides of the locking means 14 which extend from the shoulders 20 to the adjacent end of the locking means 14.

Disposed within the locking means 14 is an engaging means 21 of our invention. The

engaging means 21 is formed of spring steel or any'other metal possessing the requisite de ree of resilienc The en a 'in 'means 21 a: Y 3 s Q lncludes two pawls or engagers 22 and 2a which are integral with a eonnectingportion 24. As is best illustrated in Fig. 3, the pawls' 22 and 23 are bent outwardlyso that their outer ends 25 and 26, respectively, resiliently engage the inner surface of the top and bot tom of the locking means 14.

The wire 12 comprising the loop means of our invention is provided with a plurality of continuously extending '7 indentations or notches 27 which extend around the wire 12. Each of the indentations or notches 270cmprises a. normal wall 28 which is normal or perpendicular to the axis of the wire 12 and an inclined wall 29 sloping from the inner end of the normal wall 28 towards the middle of the wire 12.

. When it isdesired to attach the tagging or sealing device 11 to the article 13, the

wire 12 is passed around the article 13, one end of the wire 12 is then passed through the locking means14-on one side of the. tag 15, .and the other end of the wire 12 is passed through the locking means 14 on the other side of'the tag 15. As illustrated in Fig. 3, thengagers 22 and 23 are easily forced towards the'plane ofthe tag 15 to permit the intro duction of the ends of the wire 12 through the locking means 14 in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 of Fig. 3. Whenthe. ends ofthe wire 12 are pulled through the look-- ing means 14 untilthe end of the tag 15 engages the surface of the article 13, the ends 25 and 26 of the engagers 22 and 23 are disposed in the indentations 27. As is illustrated in Fig. 3, each of the engager ends 25 and 26 contacts the normal wall 28 of one of the indentations 27, and thus effectually-preventseither end of'the wire-12 from being withdrawn from the locking means 14 in the direction opposite to that indicated bythe arrow 30 of Fig. 3. v

The end of the tag 15 adjacent the locking means 14 being in contact with, the article 13, and the cross-sectional area .of. the locking means 14 on each side .of the 'tag 15 being greater than the cross-sectional area ofthe wire 12 by only a small amount, it; should be apparent that the end of the locking means 14 which isadjacent the article 13-is effectually blocked sothat an: instrument cannot be inserted therein to movel'the; engagers 22 and 23out of engagement with thewire 12..

Becauseof'the fact that the engager. ends 25. and 26 are covered by the-normal walls 28of the indentations =27 which they are disforn1ing means throughwhich both ends of said loop means posed, it should likewise be obvious that the engagers 22 and 23 cannot be moved out of engagement with the wire 12 by the introduction of an instrument from that end of the 7 locking means 14 which is the more removed fromthe article 13. The shoulders 20 on the inner surface of the sides of the locking means 14 engage the connecting portion 24 of the. engaging means 21, thus preventing the-withdrawal of the engaging means 21 from the locking'means 14 in the direction indicated by the numeral 30 of Fig. 3. The removal of the engaging means 21 from the locking means 14 in a direction 0pposite to that indicated by the numeral 30 of Fig. 3 is prevented by the engagement of theconnecting portion 24 with the tag 15.

Because the wire 12 need not be inserted in'the locking means14 until after'it" has been disposedaround the article 13 whichis to be tagged or sealed, it should be apparent that we have by our invention provided'a .tagging or sealing device which requires only large stock of wires 12 of a variety of lengths, or a roll ofwire 12 which may be cut to the required lengths, instead of a large stock of completedevices to accommodate articles having a variety. of dimensions.-

If it is desired to provide an embodiment of our invention which prevents the removal fourparts, each of which may be simply and easily manufactured. We have therefore by our invention. provided a device of the character described wh1ch can bevery economically manufactured.

While that embodiment of our invention hereinbefore illustrated and described is fully capable of performing those objects and advantages primarily st-ated, there are various other embodiments of our invention likewise capable of performing these objects and providing these advantages, and we therefore forth. We claim as our invention: r 1. Ina sealing device for an art1cle,.th

article to be sealed, said loop means having a continuously notched surface; aperture providing an aperture may beinserted; and integrally formed engaging means associated with said aperture .wish our invention to be understood as not restricted tothat embodiment hereinbefore set combination of: loop means for encircling-the forming means for preventing the withdrawal of said loop means. 7

2. In a tag structure to be sealed to an article, the combination of: loop means for encircling the article to be tagged said loop means having indentations extending around its surface; a tag body having an opening therethrough; aperture forming means in said opening, said means providing an aperture on each side of said tag body through which one end of said loop means may be forced; and integrally formed engaging means in said aperture forming means, said engaging means being adapted for engagement with said indentations to prevent the withdrawal of said loop means.

3. In a tag structure to be sealed to an article,'the combination ofi loop means for encircling the article to be tagged, said loop means having continuously extending notches in its surface; a tag body having an opening therethrough; aperture forming means in said opening, said means providing an aperture on each side. of said tag body through which one end of said loop means may be forced; a stop at one end of said aperture forming means; and integrally formed engaging means retained in said aperture forming means by said tag body and said stop, said engaging means being adapted for engagement with said notches to prevent the withdrawal of said loop means.

4:. In a tag structure to be sealed to an article, the combination of: a wire having indentations in its surface; a tag body hav ing an opening therethrough; aperture forming means having a groove in each side thereof, said means being retained in said opening by the engagement of said tag body with the sides of said groove, and said means providing an aperture on each side of said tag body through which said wire may be extended; an internal shoulder at one end of said aperture forming means; and an engager comprising two pawls disposed in said aperture forming means, said engager being confined between said tag body and said shoulder to prevent the withdrawal of said wire.

5. In a sealing device for articles, the combination of: a loop member having indentations in its surface; a tag providing an opening therethrough; aperture forming means retained in said opening by the engagement of said tag with the walls of said means, said means providing an aperture on each side of said tag through which one end of said loop member may be extended; a shoulder at one end of said aperture forming means; and

pawls disposed in said aperture and engaging said shoulder, said pawls forming means adapted to engage said indentations to prevent the withdrawal of said loop member.

6. In a sealing device for articles, the combination of: a loop member adapted for encircling an article to be sealed, said loop memher providing a continuously arranged series of notches extending therearound; a tag having an opening therethrough; aperture forming means having a groove in each side thereof, said means being retained in saidopening by the engagement of said tag with the sides of said groove, and providing an aperture on each side of said tag through which the end of said loop member may be extended;

and an engager comprising two pawls dis posed in said aperture forming means adapted to engage said notches to prevent the withdrawal of said loop member. 7

' 7. Ina sealing device of the character described, the combination of: a wire adapted to encircle an article to be sealed, said wire having continuously disposed notches extending therearound; a tag having an opening therethrough; aperture forming means disposedin said opening, said means providing an aperture on each side of said tag through which said wire may be extended; and an engager comprising a pawl in each of said apertures, said pawls being adapted to engage said notches to prevent the withdrawal of said wire.

8. A combination as set forth in claim'6 in which said loop member is adjustable for encircling articles of different cross-sectioi1al area.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 7in which said wire is adjustable to encircle articles of different dimensions.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set ourhands at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of December, 1930.

- ALLEN F. KIPPER.

REUEL H. THAYER. 

